India objects to auction of Tipu’s artefacts in UK
Jaya Menon | TNN | Mar 26, 2019, 04:59 IST
CHENNAI: A UK auction house and a London couple will profit immensely when eight rare artefacts of Tipu Sultan go under the hammer on Tuesday. Auctioneer Antony Cribb will put up for auction the gun supposedly used by the Tiger of Mysore in his last stand against the British in the Anglo-Mysore war of 1799.
On the block are also four swords, a shield, a betel nut box and a gold seal ring believed to have been taken to Britain by Major Thomas Hart, an officer of the British Army. India has formally objected to the sale of its national treasure, but the auction will take place as scheduled.
“We sent an official communication to the auctioneer, conveying our objection. We were informed that the auction would proceed as scheduled,” Indian High Commission first secretary Rahul Nangare told TOI from London.
Nangare said he learnt about the auction last week and asked the auction house ‘Antony Cribb Arms & Armour Auctions’ how they sourced the artefacts. “They did not have any convincing explanation or documents to confirm that the items were taken out from India legally,” he said .
On its web portal, the auction website said: ‘This is a exciting discovery, made in an ordinary home in Berkshire after lying wrapped up in an attic for 220 years.’
“If this was war booty, why wasn’t it indented in any list and confiscated by the Crown,” asked Vijaykumar.
On the block are also four swords, a shield, a betel nut box and a gold seal ring believed to have been taken to Britain by Major Thomas Hart, an officer of the British Army. India has formally objected to the sale of its national treasure, but the auction will take place as scheduled.
“We sent an official communication to the auctioneer, conveying our objection. We were informed that the auction would proceed as scheduled,” Indian High Commission first secretary Rahul Nangare told TOI from London.
Nangare said he learnt about the auction last week and asked the auction house ‘Antony Cribb Arms & Armour Auctions’ how they sourced the artefacts. “They did not have any convincing explanation or documents to confirm that the items were taken out from India legally,” he said .
On its web portal, the auction website said: ‘This is a exciting discovery, made in an ordinary home in Berkshire after lying wrapped up in an attic for 220 years.’
“If this was war booty, why wasn’t it indented in any list and confiscated by the Crown,” asked Vijaykumar.
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